


To Give My Littlest Love

by corriander



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Babysitter Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Babysitting, Bed-Wetting, DUBIOUS AFFECTION, Dubious Morality, Fluff, M/M, Shota Eren Yeager, Shotacon, Shy Eren Yeager, cuteness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2020-10-26 16:09:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20744990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corriander/pseuds/corriander
Summary: College student Levi is a part-time babysitter. He loves kids, and they love him. But his latest job, with precious little Eren and his chubby hands and wobbly legs, makes Levi question exactly how much he should love his job. Eren's shy, it will take time for him to open up to him, but Levi knows they can both make it there together.Read the tags, and run if this is not your thing.





	1. sweet like sugar

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is a multichapter fic, I had written a previous version of this that was incredibly hard to write as it did get too dark at times. So, essentially this is a lighter, fluffier (well, as fluffy as shota can be) version. This is all just fiction, and I do not condone child abuse in any shape or form. This writing is a way for me to cope with my own past trauma, which I'm sure we all have unique takes on and how to address it.  
This is my way of addressing it. I welcome all constructive criticism and opinions, but please don't abuse me for the topic, we're better than that.
> 
> Please double check the tags guys (although they are mostly for future chapters), and if it's not your thing, just click the exit page, no issues. Alas, welcome, let's continue :)

It's a Saturday, 11 in the morning when Levi first sets his eyes on the small little boy, clutching at his mother with one hand and carrying a teddy bear in the other. He couldn’t be any older than 3 or 4 years old, with his chubby little legs wobbling as he walks. It's Levi’s part-time job to do this, look after some kids when their parents need a break or go on a holiday, but he wasn't expecting this little brunette with rosy cheeks and green eyes to look so adorable.

Levi's already waiting behind the door when the mother and son arrive, overly eager to introduce himself to the sweet looking boy. He opens the door after the 3rd knock, appearing casual, smiling softly at the young mother while her toddler hangs back shyly behind her legs.

"Levi? I'm Carla Yeager." She smiles warmly, brown eyes crinkling at the corners while offering her hand out to shake. "Sorry, we're actually a little bit early today. My husband insisted we leave earlier to make it to the airport in time,  Grisha's always worried about delays. I hope it's not an inconvenience to you." 

Levi doesn't exactly want to tell her just how excited he is, that it feels like Christmas come early for him. It's not that he's sick in the head or anything, he just loves kids, and they love him too.  So he nods, "Of course, not a problem. I'm always happy to help." No trouble at all, he was still cleaning out the spare bedroom for this latest babysitting job, and now that he's seen the  boy he's even more eager to welcome him in. Levi crouches down to his knees and offers a small smile, "Hey buddy, I'm Levi. What's your name?" He says it softly, to avoid intimidating the shy little creature with his blushing chubby cheeks. Levi offers out a hand to the boy, friendly. The kid takes it tentatively after peeking out from behind his mother's skirt.

"Hello Mister, my name is Eren." he says quietly, his puffy lips trembling so it sounds like “Ewen”. Still clutching at his mother's skirt with his small hand. But thank god, now Levi has a name to work with. Eren.  _ Eren.  _ What a pretty name for such a pretty little boy. "It's nice to meet you Eren, you'll be staying with me for a few days while your parents are going away for a bit. I was just in the middle of making the bed that will be your room, do you want to help me out?" Levi’s still crouched down to Eren’s height, staring intently at those wide green eyes.

Eren nods shyly while bringing the teddy bear to hold over his tummy, “Eren helps.” he mumbles, still stumbling with the pronunciation of his own name. Levi doesn’t care, it just makes him cuter, more innocent, more so than the cocky little brats he had to mind over  last weekend who insisted on dirtying Levi’s entire home. Monsters.

Carla bends down and presses a chaste kiss to the crown of her son’s head. “Come on, Eren. I’ll help you settle in before I have to leave. You can show  Mr Levi the hand painting art you’ve been doing at kindergarten.” She nudges him gently into the open door of Levi’s home. Levi couldn’t be any happier than he is right now.

Levi’s brimming with ideas of how to entertain the toddler while looking after him. Movie snuggle nights, bedtime story cuddles, making baby Eren a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows while they huddle on the couch together. Levi’s the best babysitter, everyone knows this, and he’s going to make damn sure that this little cutie is going to be one of his return clients. Shy little ones are the cutest, with their pudgy hands and chocolate stained mouths. He's allowed to think they're cute, admire their innocence before they lose their baby fat and harden into jaded adults. Like himself. 

Levi takes hold of Eren’s small hand and guides him through the hallway and kitchen, with Carla trailing behind as they reach Eren’s newly made bedroom. Levi’s quite proud of himself over the glow in the dark stars stickers that he’d quickly stuck on the ceiling. If he turns the lights off, the room resembles a galaxy, with constellations and a glowing milky way. The room is fairly plain, a single bed with a fluffy white quilt and some stuffed animal toys in one corner. Levi made sure to leave out some jigsaw puzzles and board games in case Eren wanted to play some of them with him. Bonding with the little one's beats having to prepare for college exams so, Levi is quite happy to engage with the kids, and he can’t wait to find out more about this precious toddler for his latest job.

“Hey Eren, look! It’s a toy tiger, just like the one Papa and I saw with you at the zoo.” Carla reaches down to the pit of toys and hands it to Eren, who is now currently holding both his own teddy bear and toy tiger protectively. “So small.” Eren says, delighted to pet the miniature tiger. “Just like you, a little tiger that’s perfect for your size.” Levi comments, happy to see Eren slowly warming up to his room. 

It’s the first time Levi has ever babysat for the  Jeager’s ,  Apparently, they heard of him through word of mouth, another kindergartener friend of Eren’s: Armin Arlet, the tiny little blonde that’s as cute as a button. Levi really wishes the Armin’s parents had recommended him earlier, thinking of all the fun Eren and him have missed out on. Levi understands that Carla is probably nervous about leaving her son, that’s why she’s sticking around to help ease him in. When Levi first received the call from Carla  Jeager , he was surprised to learn that Eren had never been left alone by them for more than a day, with Carla choosing to stay at home with her child while her husband worked. Levi knows of her uncertainty, the slightly nervous hug she gives to Eren as she hands him over to a newly met  stranger for the week. He’s seen it with other first-timer parents too. But the kids love him, sometimes they don’t want to go back home because Levi never fails to make the best dessert for them on their stays. This week he thinks he'll have a go at making sticky date pudding with some extra caramel sauce. Extra sweet, to match a sweet little kid.

Naturally, he has a lot of return clients. He hopes his time with Eren will yield the same results as the others.

When Carla eventually leaves, hugging her son tightly and whispering promises that she’ll be back soon enough, Levi grabs a slice of chocolate cake from the fridge and hands it to Eren as a gift gesture. “You’ll love it here, trust me. But we do have a few rules, nothing too scary though.” Eren nods, his lower lip wobbling as he eats the chocolate cake with her bare hands, staining his fingers with chocolate crumbs. Levi smiles and ruffles Eren’s soft hair, “Okay, first rule is please don’t draw on my walls with crayons. It’s happened before, and I promise you, that stuff is nearly impossible to get rid of.” Levi pauses. “Second rule, don’t be scared of me. You seem pretty shy to be away from your parents, but I promise I don’t bite. If you need help with something, or want something, just ask me. And the final rule: have fun. You can be yourself here.”

Eren looks a little bit nervous but agrees anyway. “Yes mister, I promise.” He says, voice wobbling while staring down at his feet. Levi pats him on the back, “See? That’s not so bad. And you’re Mama and Papa will be here to pick you up soon enough.” Levi grabs Eren’s chubby little hand and squeezes gently with reassurance. “Now, do you want to put a movie on? I’ll make you a mug of hot chocolate.”

This is a good start. He can't wait to find out more about Eren during his stay. Levi looks back as Eren plops himself onto the couch, feet dangling off the edge. Levi smiles, and starts thinking of ways they can spend the week together.


	2. Sugarplum Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren slowly warms up to Levi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so not much really happens in this chapter tbh, it's kind of just a bridge for Eren to settle in. But there's a lot more in store for the next one!  
Also, quick warning, but towards the end of this chapter Levi does start to question some boundaries. Everything is innocent so far though, and like I mentioned before, I want to keep this fic kinda light (well, as light as Shota can be). So, just doing my best. 
> 
> Thank you for all who are reading, and thank you for the comments. I really do appreciate it :)

“So, Eren. What do you usually do at kindergarten for fun?” Levi says through a mouthful of ice cream. Once he’d discovered Eren’s sweet tooth, he felt compelled to indulge him. Eren’s holding their shared bowl of strawberry ice cream on his lap, eyes glued to the first  kids animation film he could find. Eren looks up at Levi with wide eyes, “I play with Armin and Mikasa, they’re my best friends. Sometimes we pretend we’re giants, titans, and we hide from who the titan is that day.” 

Ah, a glorified version of hide and seek. Levi could see himself getting on board with this.

“And Mikasa, you mention her quite a bit. Is she a girl you want to hold hands with and kiss?” 

Eren’s eyes widen even more, and his puffy lips fall open. “No! Mikasa has girl cooties, I don’t want to kiss her. But we play together because she’s like an older sister. And she’s stronger than both me and Armin like a big boy!” Eren gestures wildly with his chubby hands. It’s cute, Levi thinks. How defensive Eren becomes when talking about girl cooties and other child related issues that only matter as a kid. Still so young and innocent.

“Well, she sounds like a nice friend to have then, Eren.” Levi scruffs up Eren’s hair and smiles when he sees the blush rising on Eren’s cheeks. “She can be scary sometimes. Armin  wee’d himself one time when she yelled at some of the boys who were mean to him.” Eren says as he nods enthusiastically. It automatically warms Levi’s chest. It’s nice to hear Eren talking about himself, and Levi is happy to find that the kid opens up the more he talks. It’s progress, and that’s something Levi is damn proud of.

-

Eren’s fallen asleep on the couch, his head resting on Levi’s lap and his bowl of half eaten ice cream laying forgotten on the floor beside him. Levi doesn’t have the heart to wake him up just yet and move him to his real bed. Eren’s got a bit of drool hanging out the side of his mouth, something Levi would usually find repulsive but instead appears endearing on Eren’s baby face. Levi honestly couldn’t have pictured a child sweeter and more adorable than when he first started babysitting for Armin  Arlert . With his angel face and big blue eyes. But Eren takes the cake, with his soft brown hair, chubby thighs and hands. His shyness is endearing, and Levi wants to wrap him up with love and affection and hear all his stories all day every day.

He’s startled from his imagination when Eren stirs awake, yawning loudly and rubbing his hand over his eyes. “Is it morning, Mister?” Eren asks sleepily, and Levi feels that  same bloom of warmth inside his chest. 

“No, but it is time for you to get some proper sleep. We’ve got a big day tomorrow and I want to make sure you get a good rest tonight.” Levi lifts Eren off his lap and stands up.

Eren does another exaggerated yawn as he gets up on his feet. “What’s big tomorrow?” he asks, allowing Levi to hold his hand as he guides him towards Eren’s newly appointed bedroom for his stay. Levi doesn’t answer, it’s a surprise and he likes to keep Eren excitedly guessing. It makes the reveal all the more fun, for both of them.

“You’ll know when you see it tomorrow. Now, let’s get you changed into your  pyjamas and ready for sleepy time.”

Levi helps Eren tug off his sweater and matching tracksuit pants, resisting the urge to poke at his chubby little belly button that looks so cute. He’s just admiring him, that’s all. Like a father would do their own child, watching them grow and all the silly moments in between. He really just loves kids, there’s nothing wrong with that considering half the people his own age  have the personality of a dead fish. Eren’s cute, warm and bubbly, and Levi loves the energy that follows him around.

He puts Eren’s bunny themed  pyjama set on quickly, doing buttons up speedily and tries not to think too much harder on the subject. Plus, tomorrow will be a great day for both him and Eren, so he shouldn’t be overthinking about why he’s trying to impress a kid. It’s natural to want to see such a cute face like Eren’s light up with excitement.

Levi tucks him into bed, pulling the quilt up and under Eren’s chin, patting down the pillow for Eren rest his head on. “Good night, sleepy boy. I’ll come get you in the morning, but if you need  me I’m just down the hallway. Don’t be shy if you need anything. First night away from your parents can get a bit scary.” But Eren only hears half of it, already drifting off into a dream. Levi presses a chaste kiss to his forehead, so soft and smooth, and takes his cue to leave.

He can’t wait to see Eren’s beaming smile in the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly still just small moments of fluff, but I have to be honest, I had really hoped that I'd be able to write something a bit more challenging and that focuses on a bit more of a shota relationship between Eren and Levi, and how Levi struggles with his own feelings. I know a lot of people won't like it so I've been pretty hesitant about writing things in a different direction. But, I think I may take that direction after all, it is my own fake story. I welcome all advice and literary criticism, but please make sure you read the tags before you read and comment. And if you've got any advice or suggestions, I'm more than happy to listen.   
Thank you for reading!

Levi wakes up from a short sleep to hear the sounds of Eren crying through his bedroom wall. He gl ances at the clock on his bedside table to see that only a few hours had passed since he’d put the toddler to sleep. He should still be having dreams right now, _what's wrong?_

“ Mama!” Eren wails with a hiccup, the sound echoing through the thin walls of Levi’s home. 

Levi gets out of bed and quickly pulls on a sleep shirt to cover his bare chest. From the sounds of it, he’s fairly sure that Eren’s just having a nightmare and nothing too serious to worry about. He hates to think of Eren being alone for it though, so he tiptoes down the hall and into the  toddler's room just to make sure. He wants to be able to comfort him.

“ _ Waaah _ _ ! Mama!” _ Eren calls out again and Levi’s heart thuds heavily.

When Levi opens the door to Eren’s makeshift bedroom, he  sees that the teddy Eren was carrying earlier has been thrown onto the carpeted floor along with the quilt cover and sheets, with only Eren’s small frame lying on the mattress. He even has drool around his mouth from where he must have fallen asleep in an awkward position. He’s not awake, it really was just a nightmare. 

Levi walks over to the edge of the bed and sits down next to the boy. He puts his hand on Eren’s clammy forehead and wipes away a few strands of loose brown hair, tucking the strands behind his ears. “Eren?” Levi whispers, still transfixed with how soft and calm the boy suddenly looks. He watches as Eren’s hands move up to grasp against the mattress base sheet, clenching and tugging at it.

Levi leans down on the bed to put his lips against Eren's ear. “Erebear? You’re alright, go back to sleep.” Levi says quietly, patting at Eren’s soft crown as he speaks. Eren blearily opens his eyes, squinting like the sun’s too bright except for the fact that it’s night time and no lights are on. “Mister Wevi?” Eren squeaks, bring his fist up to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

“You just had a nightmare, Eren. I’ll sit with you tonight though so try to get some more rest.” Levi replies, lying down on the bed so he can rest his head on the same pillow.

Eren sniffles, still looking up at Levi with his half-asleep doe eyes. “I miss my mama.” He hiccups, and Levi leans down to press a gentle kiss against his forehead. He knows it must be hard for Eren to be away from his parents for the first time, but Levi is damn well sure he’ll make Eren happy while he’s here. He’s not sure if he’s correct, but he can feel the heat rising through his lips where he’s pressed against Eren. He must be  embarrassed .

“I know you do, pumpkin. But you’ve got me here for now, and I’ll be just as kind to you as your Mum is.” Levi replies, continuing to knead his fingers gently against the back of Eren's head, lulling him into a sleepier state.

“O-O-okay, Mister  Wevi . Thank you.”

* * *

When Levi wakes the next morning, he’s  surprised to find that the light streaming in from the window is coming in from a different direction. He can see the warm sun rays touching his toes at the end of the bed, so he gives them a wriggle and basks in the warmth. 

_ Warmth. _

Levi opens his eyes in a moment of panic. His stomach feels warm and extra heavy, something that he initially attributed to a fallen pillow resting on top of him. He pulls back the blanket covering his body and freezes when he sees little Eren curled up around his stomach and pelvic area, a place he wouldn’t exactly consider the  _ friendliest place  _ at this time of the morning. 

Shit. He’d fallen asleep next to Eren last night.

He stays in his position for a few minutes, contemplating whether he should wake up the peaceful toddler from his resting state or risk getting called a pedophile if Eren accidentally recounts to his Mum; “Mister  Wevi has been sweeping with me in bed!” In the end, Levi chooses the former in letting the boy sleep for longer, the situation is innocent enough and Levi doesn’t have anything he needs to hide. 

They enjoy basking in the morning sun for another hour, with Levi gradually falling in and out of consciousness again and Eren rolling around on his stomach with baby snores. When Eren’s snores begin to wane, Levi takes it on himself to finally wake him up for some pancakes. He taps gently at the  toddlers shoulder, pressing his fingers gently into the soft collarbone around his neck and shoulders. “Eren?” He whispers. No response “Eren, it’s time for breakfast.” Somehow this wakes the boy up, as he yawns and stretches out across Levi’s body.

“Ewen’s hungry.” He mumbles, his mouth still lax from sleep and dried spit crusted around the corner of his plump lips. 

“We’re going to make something yummy for breakfast, Eren. Do you want to join me?” Levi asks, standing up to dust himself off. He’s rewarded with a smile from Eren, who’s still lying on his bed while beaming up at him.

“Yes!”

* * *

After pancakes, cleaning up and watching a bit of TV together, Levi decides that it’s time to take his precious little boy to the playground. He takes Eren to the bathroom and brings out a wet towel, using it to wipe away the crusted sleep on Eren’s eyes and the sugar stuck to the corner of his lower lip. Eren’s obedient, smiling brightly at Levi as he soaks up all the attention. Levi grabs the spare pair of clothes that Carla had given him when she dropped Eren off the previous day, it's a bright yellow top with a sunflower on it and a pair of toddler jeans. Levi smiles as he asks Eren to help him get changed out of his pyjamas, but he has no need to convince him as Eren is already eager to worm into his new outfit. 

“There. Now you’re all fresh and ready to go. Did you have enough to eat for breakfast?” Levi pats Eren on the head as the toddler squirms into his clothes.

“Ewen's full. Pancakes are yummy!” Eren replies with his  gap-toothed smile. Levi can’t resist pressing a chaste kiss to the top of the  boys head and smiles when he sees Eren blush in response.

When they leave the house, Levi makes sure to bring some snacks and a book for himself to read while Eren’s playing. They’re only going down the road, but Levi wants both of them to enjoy the outing. He locks the gate to the front of his house and grabs ahold of Eren’s tiny, chubby fingers, locking them in place with his own. 

“Will there be ducks, Mister?” Eren asks, looking up at Levi as they walk to the park. Levi has to remind himself that despite his own short appearance, he needs to walk slower in order to make sure Eren doesn’t trip over. 

“Maybe, do you like ducks?” 

Eren pouts and looks at the ground. “Ewen loves ducks, and frogs and piglets. All animals!” God, he's adorable.

Levi chuckles. “That’s good to know. I’ve brought some bread just in case so we can feed them together.”

Eren makes an excited noise and nods his head happily. Fuck, Levi’s been so lucky to be able to look after this precious kid. They make it to the park, and Levi sends Eren off to the swing set while he lays out a picnic rug. It's a nice view they've got, their picnic rug is layed out on a patch of grass in front of the lake and Levi can see a few ducks are already nearby them. Eren will be happy, he hopes. 

"Mister Wevi! Come play on the swing?" Eren calls out, his rosy cheeks puffing up as he laughs and jumps around on the monkey bars. Levi sets his book aside and indulges in the boy.


End file.
